You had established a name for yourself within the dance music landscape by an early age. How did you find transitioning from an aspiring artist to a worldwide renowned performer?
“Worldwide renowned performer” sounds super fancy haha! I just see myself as someone who is really passionate about music and someone who loves to share that passion with as many others as possible. Maybe that’s also why I didn’t really experience any transition. I’ve been envisioning myself doing what I do today for a very long time and that’s why it all feels natural I think.
You’ve named some of your influencers from a young age as being from different sectors of the dance music community. Has this affected the way you approach music production?
For sure. There’s a different approach to every song of course but for example, I sometimes try to make a dance song that has to be playable by a band as well. I also try to incorporate my musical background in my songs. Most important of all I think the biggest way my influences affect my production is the combination of styles that I come up with.
Do you prefer working with artists on collaborations and remixes, or working alone on solo releases?
I love learning from other producers and getting to experience their workflow and tricks. On the other hand, I must say most of the time I want to have everything in my own control. I’m actually working on a lot of solo releases right now and I’m just loving it. I really want to show people what Maurice West is about musically this year, that’s why solo releases are important to me right now.
Whilst producing Bigroom House, you have been able to keep a style that is all your own and unique to you. Where do you draw the line between influences and originality?
I think it’s very important that us musicians keep pushing the current state of music forwards. If we can do that by combining styles and merging genres that haven’t been together in one song before, then we have to do that. In a cool way of course. It’s okay to be influenced by something or someone but you will always need your own style to stand out.
From clubs across the globe to some of the world’s biggest festivals, are there any stages that stuck out as special to you over the last few years?
Joining KSHMR in 2017 and W&W in 2018 on the Tomorrowland mainstage was really incredible. Being on that stage and looking over the crowd that you have seen on the livestream for years is just unreal. I still feel like it actually didn’t happen but luckily there’s video proof haha! Also, one of my biggest dreams is still to do my own set at the Tomorrowland mainstage.
How do you find touring the world? Are there any unexpected highlights or difficulties you have faced?
I love it! I think it really has to suit you as a person to be able to maintain this lifestyle. I love being in a lot of different places all the time and experience of other cultures. You can run into a lot of unexpected beautiful places while on the road.
Were you focused on music production from an early age, or was there a point that you knew you wanted to make a career from producing?
I grew up in a family full of musicians. The lower floor of my house was just one big recording studio that my dad always used to work in so from a really early age I was always surrounded by music. I started playing the piano, drums and guitar and eventually, I started messing around in Garageband with all the synths and loops in there. When I got my hands on Ableton and tried making actual songs that’s when I knew I wanted to make a career out of music.
In recent years you’ve released a stream of recognised dance-floor bangers. What can we expect going forward for Maurice West?
More dance-floor bangers! I’m working on a lot of exciting solo releases and I’m gonna be trying out some new stuff within my style. I’m also trying to do more with actual vocalists instead of always sampling old songs, so that should be cool!